Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday officially entered the race for Tennessee governor.
Blackburn announced her gubernatorial bid in a video shared on X, saying she’s prepared to deliver on President Donald Trump’s conservative agenda.
“I love Tennessee, I believe in Tennesseans, and I’m ready to deliver the kind of conservative leadership that will ensure our state is America’s conservative leader for this generation and the next,” she stated in her video.
Blackburn, a staunch Trump ally, begins her video with a clip of Trump on stage during a campaign rally.
“Trump is back, America is blessed, and Tennessee—better than ever,” she added.
Blackburn laid out her platform in the video announcement, vowing to honor the Constitution under her leadership.
Her plans include making Tennessee the country’s “number one energy producing powerhouse,” offering “world-class education” to students, and continuing to support Trump’s immigration agenda.
“In his first six months, President Trump has made historic strides in Making America Great Again, but as he sends power back to the states, he’s going to need strong conservative governors who can bring that revolution home,” Blackburn said in a news release. “I’m running to serve as Tennessee’s next governor to ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader.”
Blackburn, 73, serves as the senior senator for Tennessee. She is the first woman to represent the Volunteer State in the U.S. Senate.
The GOP senator is a member of the Finance Committee; the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee; the Veterans’ Affairs Committee; and the Judiciary Committee. She serves as the ranking member on the Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security and on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law.
Blackburn previously represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027.
Blackburn will seek the Republican nomination for governor against Rep. John Rose (R-Tenn.), 60, who is also the state’s former agriculture commissioner.
Rose, also a Trump supporter, announced his bid for governor in March.
Trump won Tennessee in 2024 by nearly 30 points.
Because Blackburn was reelected to another six-year term last year, her Senate seat isn’t at risk by running for governor. If Blackburn wins, a Senate seat opens up and Blackburn, as governor, would possibly get to appoint the temporary replacement.
Rose’s congressional seat is an open contest next year, as well.
Wednesday’s campaign announcement makes Blackburn the third sitting senator to launch a gubernatorial bid this year.
The gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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